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Medium venue no sub help a MAJOR NUBE

Best option for medium venue with no subs

  • Slave my Streamliner 900 (and NV610) off a GK MB210 (with 115MBE)?

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Use a Y splittler and run into both

    Votes: 1 50.0%

  • Trust the Streamliner 900 / NV610 only and bleed a little into PA (no subs)

    Votes: 1 50.0%
  • Total voters
    2
  • Poll closed .
Burwabit

Burwabit

Likes guitars that tune good and firm feelin women
Apr 4, 2011
3,695
4,208
Lubbock, TX
www.reverbnation.com
#1
We're playing a medium sized venue this weekend (200-500 peeps in Wranglers and Cowboy hats). Our normal PA is too small so we are hiring a friend in another band on the cheap to run sound; he has a solid PA but no subs (neither do we). So, I'm going to carry most of the low end through my gear.

I have:
GB Streamliner 900 (4ohm min) and Bergantino NV610 (4ohm) - 900W head into 750W cab
GK MB210 combo (8ohm) and extension 115MBE (8ohm) - 2x10s, 1x15 at 500W

Should I...
A) Slave the STL 900 off the MB210? (I'd probably put the MB210/115MBE behind the guitar player and NV610 behind me) Anyone ever done this/am I crazy? My plan is to run to the MB210, then out the DI with XLR to 1/4 cable into Effect Loop return on the Streamliner, creating a master/slave like the Streamliner manual describes. Am I doing that right? Will it sound OK and not hurt anything or by out of sync on time or something? (again, I'm a big nube)

B) Use a Y splitter. I have a Y splitter that's very simple little device - two female 1/4s and one 1/4 male. I could split at the board and run a cord to each head. Is that bad? Better or worse?

C) Run the Streamliner / NV610 only and bleed a little into PA (no subs)

I'm pretty novice at this type of thing, so any help you can provide is appreciated.
 
#2
playing for over 1,000 people but no budget for a proper PA to cover the audience? Before we get into your choices, this IMO is the first and foremost issue. If the venue can't supply proper PA of their own, and they are not going to accommodate you with a budget that allows you to hire a PA and sound tech of ample size/quality to cover the gig, then you ALL will get what you get (and hopefully it won't be ugly).

all that said, It sounds like you have plenty of gear to cover yourself on bass and the 6 x 10 should be fine. What are your other guitarists using for amps? I'm all for more is better, and it might be nice to slave the combo and put it on the opposite side of the stage for some balance, but really what should be happening is that the stage should have a nice mix of its own, and then the PA system should supplement the overall sound to accommodate the majority listening area. Asking the stage volumes to carry a venue of that size is a somewhat archaic way of doing things, given the amount of good quality and relatively inexpensive sound reinforcement gear available from a rental.

Assuming that the music you'll be playing will benefit from having a nice, beefy kick drum sound in the PA system, how do you plan on accomplishing this without subs. It is possible that some good quality full range PA cabs, or sheer numbers of PA cabinets, will do just fine, but if you're talking about an indoor gig with a couple of top-end cabinets on a stick per side, then...meh...ain't gonna cut it.

Can you provide a description of the kind of music you play, what the performance environment is like and exactly what the front end PA cabinets will be (and how many)?
 
#3
I may be exaggerating on the number of people (edited OP from 1000 to 200). I really have no idea. It's a small town festival thing. If it helps, let's say 200. We play Texas Country and this is a dance, basically. PA is 2 Peavey SP4's for mains, and 4 Peavey wedges for monitors. Mackie 1604 mixer, 2 Mackie power amps, and 1 crown power amp.

I appreciate what you are saying, but subs aren't an option at this point. You get what you pay for.

I'm mainly interested in whether the slave thing will work.
 
#4
If possible, how about option D) Rent a proper sub for the PA system.

It's not just the bass that will be lacking girth and punch but the kick drum as well. For a venue of that size the band will probably sound naked without some extra help for the low end.

*edit* Just saw your edit. If it's just 200 people then you'll probably be fine without one.
 
#5
Yeah, it sounds like you're going a bit. Overkill. I'd just take your streamliner and berg and call it a day. If you really want to push it rent a sub, but I've never been a fan of the typical use of subs on gigs like this where the kick drum is way over amplified and all you hear is kick drum, cymbals and a bit of vocals and guitar
 
#7
Burwabit said:
I may be exaggerating on the number of people (edited OP from 1000 to 200). I really have no idea. It's a small town festival thing. If it helps, let's say 200. We play Texas Country and this is a dance, basically. PA is 2 Peavey SP4's for mains, and 4 Peavey wedges for monitors. Mackie 1604 mixer, 2 Mackie power amps, and 1 crown power amp.

I appreciate what you are saying, but subs aren't an option at this point. You get what you pay for.

I'm mainly interested in whether the slave thing will work.
Click to expand...

ahhhh...ok. All good suggestions above...

If you're outdoors, and If the PA cabs are the 2x15 loaded SP4 cabinets then you should actually be in good shape. But yes, 100% agreed that you already would have plenty with your 6x10 rig to provide enough bass sound to compete with a PA of that size. Just roll with what you've got, let the sound guy abuse his own gear for what its worth and have a good time!
 
#11
Hell yes on the run your 15 as a sub....use ur berg and run a pretty high but livable stage volume and run ur 15 as a powered sub where he can run the kick and ur bass thru it from the board. Since he(and the audience) can hear the mix and u cant at least he can change volume levels on the fly. U will need a crossover to funnel the lows from the board to the 15 or u could rig the 2 channels to go to your 15 direct if u can't get ahold of a crossover(rent one for$15).
 
#12
jamminology101 said:
Hell yes on the run your 15 as a sub....use ur berg and run a pretty high but livable stage volume and run ur 15 as a powered sub where he can run the kick and ur bass thru it from the board. Since he(and the audience) can hear the mix and u cant at least he can change volume levels on the fly. U will need a crossover to funnel the lows from the board to the 15 or u could rig the 2 channels to go to your 15 direct if u can't get ahold of a crossover(rent one for$15).
Click to expand...

Will probably sound like crap using the GK 115 for a sub. The band is using Peavey SP-4s they will have enough low end since they are a 215 inch cab. Just use the 610 and the Sreamliner.
 
#13
modulusman said:
Will probably sound like crap using the GK 115 for a sub. The band is using Peavey SP-4s they will have enough low end since they are a 215 inch cab. Just use the 610 and the Sreamliner.
Click to expand...

Agreed. If the OP is using the 2x15 version of the SP4, then they should be able to handle all instruments and drums fairly decently (assuming they are provided enough clean power). I'd leave well enough alone. Perhaps bring the extra bass amp along just in case you need it for something. But bass amps are better off being used as bass amps, not PA subwoofers IMO. The fact that you COULD use them as subs doesn't necessarily mean it is a good thing for the bass rig.
 
#15
it does no good to try and rig up a monster bass rig when there's no subs; all that does is make the bass too loud compared to the rest of the band.

+1 to not trying to use a cheap single 15 bass cab as a PA sub, it won't handle it.

keep your stage volume equal to the rest of the band, use what PA you have, get it as loud as it will go and still sound balanced and good, and that's what they get.
 
#16
put your amp out front on the ground in the middle facing the crowd. you can have the head of the amp onstage facing you and run a cable to the cab facing outward toward the crowd. if the stage is raised it would be like a sub in the middle and PA speakers on each side. during soundcheck let soundman get it set at the right level to mix in well. then have your bass in the monitors so everyone can hear it on stage when you are playing.
 
#17
kilgoja said:
put your amp out front on the ground in the middle facing the crowd. you can have the head of the amp onstage facing you and run a cable to the cab facing outward toward the crowd. if the stage is raised it would be like a sub in the middle and PA speakers on each side. during soundcheck let soundman get it set at the right level to mix in well. then have your bass in the monitors so everyone can hear it on stage when you are playing.
Click to expand...

That might sound good in theory but it's going to give him crap tone on stage and give you 3 low frequency sources in close but not close enough proximity fighting with each other out front (center bass rig and kick on the sides). You got it right about centrally located LF but forgot about the kick drum.

Walter got it right, that's how to run this gig.
 

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